


Of the Night

by Reynarius



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Alternate Canon, Betrayal, Canon Rewrite, Dealing with Nightmares, F/F, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Together They Heal, Two Bitter Alliance Ladies, Windrunner Family Drama, i guess, just falling in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 13:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20931302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reynarius/pseuds/Reynarius
Summary: They were two souls weighed down by their mistakes and broken by those that they once trusted. But perhaps it was time for them to cast aside the demons of the past, and take a step towards the future - together.





	Of the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I have just gone and started writing for another pairing. Because these ladies A) deserve to be written better and B) Need to Find some happiness  
AND IF THAT'S WITH EACH OTHER SO BE IT.

There was a steady rapt of steel against stone. One continuous rhythm that never broke, and never faltered but it became louder with each passing second. Jaina felt the sound grate at her nerves, and send an unpleasant twinge down her spine.

She spun and wandered aimlessly through the gray fog that surrounded her, trying to flee from the encroaching sound. Ash began to drift down around her, clinging to her garments like the first snow of winter. Dusting the stones beneath her feet with a thin layer.

It was so thick that Jaina could scarcely breathe, nor could she see her hand in front of her face when she reached out blindly. 

_ “Jaina…why do you run? Join me, and be my Queen.” _A dark voice echoed out.

She whipped back around at the sound, but there was not a soul in sight. Only an endless cloud of smog. With a spark of arcane, Jaina tried to summon a spell that would cut through and free her from this seemingly endless prison.

_ “Over here, Jaina.” _

When she turned again she found herself staring at a black shadow appearing through the ash. It grew larger as it seemed to move closer, distinctly shaped like another living being. 

“Who goes there?” She shouted out to them.

A line of blue light appeared next to the dark figure, and then returned the incessant tap of steel on stone. The air around Jaina went deathly cold, any breath in her lungs felt as if it had been frozen. Any spell that she had prepared died on her tongue. All she could taste was frost and the putrid burn of ash in her throat and mouth, choking her. The stench of rot and blood assaulted her nose, and her stomach churned within her body. 

_ Arthas. _

Jaina felt her knees tremble beneath her. Her hands clawing angrily at her neck, scratching deep, welting lines down her skin as she felt her throat constrict. Everything ached and burned, her pulse beat and thrummed like the drums of war inside her skull.

_ “Jaina…” _The voice crooned out, a hand emerged from the haze as two glowing eyes peered out from the ash cloud. Extended to Jaina as if beckoning her to take it.

No, no this could not be happening. Arthas was dead. He had been killed, there was no way he was here. 

_ Gods, please, do not let him be here. _

As darkness hugged the corners of her vision, a pitch-black shape shot across her line of sight. It came without a sound save for a low, bestial growl moments before Arthas vanished from before her.

There was a clatter of heavy metal, and a sickening crunch just seconds later. Jaina felt the frost flee from her veins the second following that horrific sound, and it melted from her skin. But ash still clouded her throat, and her whole body began to heave as she found herself suffocating.

_ Jaina. _

The black shape returned, lowering itself to her level. She could discern no details about whatever loomed in front of her, all she saw was black, twisting shadows marked with lines of blue. It brought no frost, nor warmth with its presence.

As if it was Void of any natural life.

_ “Jaina, you…-” _It spoke again, its voice fading into unintelligible whispers. 

Azure light filled her eyes as she collapsed to the stones, she felt the pressure of something on her face. But she found that she had not the strength to push it away.

_ “WAKE UP!” _

* * *

Jaina’s eyes shot open to find that very same azure light still burning bright in her eyes. On instinct and without thought, her hand sought out the dagger that she kept underneath her pillow. 

She withdrew it and in one fluid motion, she pushed a hand flat against their collarbone and wrapped her legs around them. Using her weigh to roll them over, and pinning them down against the mattress.

She panted and half-snarled like some sort of feral beast as she pressed the blade against their throat. With only the light of the evening moon peeking between the drapes to guide her strike, she brought the knife back to thrust it down at them.

Except two strong hands grabbed at her forearms, pushing back against her attack and staying her assault. A calm voice cutting through the haze of fear, and panic that fogged the mage’s mind.

“Lady Proudmoore! I mean you no harm, I am an ally!” 

The sound of a friendly voice immediately stayed her hand, Jaina blinked several times to find her eyes adjusting to the blaring darkness. She peered down at the one pinned beneath her to find Alleria Windrunner staring back up at her.

_ Shit. _

“Lady Windrunner-!” Jaina began, her eyes were blown wide as she pulled the knife away from the elf’s throat. 

Alleria did not seem afraid of nearly being struck down in a fit of panic, even as she plucked the weapon from Jaina’s shaking hands. Dropping it onto the nightstand next to her bed. 

Slowly, Jaina slid off of her place straddled across Alleria’s stomach. The night air chilled her, raising goosebumps to her skin. She took a brief moment to summon a flame long enough to light the lantern next to her bed before she tugged a hand back through her hair.

“Oh, gods, I am...so, so, sorry. Forgive me, Alleria, I-.” She began, fumbling over her words as she paced back and forth.

Her legs trembled, and that was the only warning she received before they gave out from beneath her. Jaina had not seen or even _ heard _Alleria move out of the bed, but a split second later she found herself cradled in those arms. Catching Jaina before she could hit the floor. 

Alleria’s muscles flexed as she lifted Jaina back up to stand, but they did not release the mage just yet. Even in the dark, Jaina could _ feel _the worry radiating outwards from her.

“Easy, Jaina. I need you to breathe with me, lest you drive yourself into a panic once more.”

Slowly, Jaina listened to the pattern of Alleria's breathing. Inhale, hold, exhale; an easy pattern that the mage found herself attempting to match without thinking about it.

“Good, good...that is it, Jaina. Just breathe,” Alleria spoke with a quiet lilt to her voice.

It only took a moment longer before the mage relaxed, the tension bleeding from her shoulders as she slowly moved to stand on her own. But Alleria did not stray far from her side.

“It is I who must apologize. I heard someone in distress. Your door was unlocked, I came in to find you thrashing in bed and clawing at your throat.”

At the mention of her neck, the mage suddenly became painfully aware of the sting burning the skin of her throat. She shuddered and placed one of her chilled hands over the welted skin, the frost she summoned to the tips of her fingers soothed the pain - for now.

“I am alright, Alleria. You needn’t worry about me, just a silly dream,” Jaina whispered, brushing off the elf with a wave of her hand.

“With all due respect, Lord Admiral, I think I shall decide what I do and do not worry myself with,” Alleria protested.

Jaina tugged her sleeping gown further around her body in the hope it would help chase away the evening cold, and turned her head to peer back at Alleria. Until she stopped in her tracks. 

It was in the light of the lone lantern that she saw the bloody line that she had carved across Alleria’s throat, not deep, but it was a serious cut nonetheless.

With a shaking step towards her, Jaina reached out and gently placed a hand upon the side of the ranger’s neck. Sorrow crossing over her expression.

“You’re bleeding.”

Alleria managed a small smile, “I have been cut worse, Jaina.”

Jaina did not smile back. Her eyes narrowed before she dropped her hand and moved across the room to her desk, reaching into the drawer to fetch a roll of linen bandages. 

Her voice was stern as she returned, “I did this. Now sit down, shut up, and let me tend to the cut…”

Alleria raised an eyebrow, and Jaina sighed at her brazenness. Her shoulders dropped as her voice did, just barely above a whisper as she pleaded, _ “Please.” _

Without argument, Alleria sat down onto the side of Jaina’s bed and tilted her head back to allow the mage access to the cut. It looked worse than it truly was, but that did not mean that she did not feel guilty for leaving it in the first place.

Tenderly, Jaina dabbed the cloth against the wound. Feeling the tense and shift of Alleria’s muscles beneath her fingers, but the ranger otherwise remained perfectly still.

“What are you even _ doing _in Kul Tiras?"

Alleria hissed when Jaina pressed on a particularly painful spot but still managed a reply, “Young Anduin is worried about you. Afraid someone is going to make an attempt on your life, he asked me to come here - to protect you.”

“Well, whilst I appreciate the concern, I am entirely capable of protecting myself.”

The ranger let out a chuckle, “You have made that abundantly clear, Lady Jaina.”

She frowned at that, “Just Jaina is fine, and that is not funny.”

Alleria rolled one shoulder at a time as the mage worked, remaining still so as not to disrupt her focus. Still, she was grinning the whole time.

“Seriously though, you should be proud, Jaina.”

Jaina frowned harder and her brow furrowed, “What do you mean _ proud? _I nearly slit open your throat this evening.”

“Exactly. It is not a common occurrence for someone to get the drop on me, _ and _pin me in ten seconds without breaking a sweat.”

“You could have died, Alleria.”

“But I _ didn’t. _”

With a roll of her eyes, Jaina lowered her hand away from Alleria’s neck. Her voice firm as she quipped back, “You may not have minded, but your husband might have had something to say if you turned up dead in my chambers.”

Alleria seemed to freeze without warning, body going rigid next to Jaina. But if something about her statement was troubling, Alleria did not let it be known. Instead, she peered towards the window.

Quickly, she seemed to change the subject, “Will you be able to sleep again this evening? Or shall I wake one of the servants to fetch you something?”

Jaina shook her head, rubbing at the bags beneath her eyes, “No, that will not be necessary. I shall be just fine to sleep.”

Alleria nodded and picked up the knife off of the nightstand beside Jaina’s bed. She stood and crossed the room to the window sill, passing the blade back and forth between her hands.

“Well, if it is all the same to you, I shall stay here this evening.”

Jaina, who had been slipping back under the blankets paused and stared wide-eyed at Alleria, “I beg your pardon?”

“Not in your bed, Lord Admiral. I will sit over here, and keep an eye out. In case you get another nightmare.”

She opened her mouth to argue but found that she had no strength to bicker. There was no harm in allowing Alleria to stand guard while she slept, and it was not like she could not trust her. If anything, the prospect of being watched over by one of the most skilled archers that Azeroth had ever seen was a comfort.

“Fine, you may take the pillows from the other side of the bed if you find yourself in need of rest. There are extra blankets on the shelf over there,” Jaina replied, sliding back under her blankets and rolling over to face away from Alleria.

Alleria smiled as she watched, sitting the dagger down onto the window sill next to her, “Thank you, Jaina. May you rest easy.”

It did not take long before Jaina drifted back off to sleep, clinging to her pillow. Sleeping peacefully through the night, no nightmares returned to plague her dreams with fear and death. 

For the first time, she felt safe.

**Author's Note:**

> :') Jaina that is gay
> 
> Also Alleria "But Did I die tho?" Windrunner, canon.


End file.
